| Much of modern thought is geared to seeing | | | | two-year course on Traditional Oriental |
| the individual as a series of separate | | | | Medicine attempted to unite ancient |
| systems which function independently of each | | | | principles of health to our Western way of |
| other. We have specialists for skin, kidneys, | | | | life. During this time I came to realise that |
| nervous system, bones, heart and so on. | | | | acupuncture suffered from the same important |
| | | | shortcoming as modern medicine - the illness |
| Food companies produce whole ranges of | | | | itself was being treated but the management |
| veterinary -only diets, each food designed to | | | | did not address the cause of the problem. |
| treat or manage a specific health problem. | | | | |
| Diets are developed containing supplements to | | | | "At the same time I became a student of the |
| promote healthy joints or immune systems, | | | | Macrobiotic movement which was in great vogue |
| clean teeth, avoid hairball and so on. | | | | in Britain in the seventies but which has now |
| | | | disappeared from view (in the UK at least). |
| At any time there are many thousands of | | | | Macrobiotics attempted to apply and adapt |
| biochemical and physiological reactions | | | | ancient, traditional philosophy in a way |
| occurring in the body. These reactions are | | | | which was practical and appropriate to our |
| co-ordinated and controlled in ways which | | | | modern lifestyle |
| have evolved over millions of years and which | | | | |
| we can barely begin to understand. Any effort | | | | "Although much maligned at the time |
| to influence these reactions is crude and | | | | Macrobiotics seemed to me to complement my |
| limited compared to the body's own | | | | scientific training although in some respects |
| capabilities. | | | | it presented an opposing view. In particular |
| | | | Macrobiotics, like many other branches of |
| The objective of Holistic Medicine is to | | | | complementary medicine taught that most |
| follow a lifestyle which provides the | | | | illnesses originate in the main from improper |
| conditions for the body to maintain a | | | | lifestyle especially the daily diet. |
| healthy, stable condition. | | | | |
| | | | "By extension it follows from this that |
| By far the most important element and the one | | | | correct diet can be used to treat many |
| over which we have most control is the daily | | | | illnesses or, more accurately, correct diet |
| diet | | | | can allow the body to make the necessary |
| | | | adjustments in order to heal itself |
| "We don't know what causes the problem, we | | | | |
| don't know how to cure it but we can use | | | | "By experimenting on my own diet I was able |
| drugs to relieve it until we really | | | | to verify the principle that physical health |
| understand how to deal properly with the | | | | and mental well-being can be changed by diet. |
| problem." | | | | I decided to adapt and apply similar |
| | | | principles to the understanding and practice |
| (John Burns BVMS MRCVS, I972) | | | | of Veterinary Medicine. |
| | | | |
| "Shortly after qualifying as a veterinary | | | | "I advised my clients to avoid all commercial |
| surgeon I heard myself saying these words on | | | | pet foods and to feed only home prepared |
| numerous occasions to owners of dogs with | | | | diets based on brown rice, good quality meat |
| skin problems. I was beginning to realise I | | | | (chicken, fish or lamb) and vegetables. The |
| was not as well prepared to deal with health | | | | results were remarkable in that many chronic |
| problems as I would have liked. While drugs | | | | health problems could be managed by a simple |
| are useful for treating acute illnesses and | | | | diet. But most pet owners found the task of |
| relieving the signs and symptoms of chronic | | | | food preparation too impractical and could |
| disease there are few if any chronic diseases | | | | not keep it up long-term. |
| which can be cured by drugs. | | | | |
| | | | " I eventually came to realise that for the |
| "A few years later, having read some | | | | majority of pets, a Holistic diet can only be |
| impressive reports about acupuncture I | | | | possible if a suitable prepared food is |
| decided to become an acupuncturist. The | | | | commercially available. |